Atomizer



(No Model.)

C. E. FISHER.

ATOMIZBR.

No. 350,822. Patented Ootf 12, 1886.

raras i Artnr Fries.

ATONIIZER.

,SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 350,822, dated October 12, 1886.

Application tiled September 30, 1885. Serial No. 178,676. (No model.) i

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, .CHARLES H. FIsHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lowell, in the county of Middlesex and State ot' Massachusetts, have invented anew and useful Improvement relating to Atoniizers for Atomizing Liquids, of which the following is a specilcation.

My invention relates to that class of atomizers where a liquid comes in contact with a rapidly-revolving body, which converts it into a line spray and disperses it into the surrounding air; and the object of my invention is to` furnish an inexpensive means of doing this work in a very superior manner, which object is accomplished by the use of a novel form of rapidly-revolving atomizing-body, and by the use of a novel means of feeding a liquid to a revolving atomizer, whereby the liquid is wholly subjected to the action of the said atomizer and prevented from escaping into the surrounding air in the form of drops of appreciable size.

My invention is embodied in the atomizer illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is an elevation, partly in section, of an atomizer, showing the manner in which it is supported and the way that liquid is supplied to it. Fig. 2 is the plan and elevation of the hollouT pulley which supports and rotates an atomizing-disk. Fig. 3 is the plan and elevation of a hollow cap having an opening in the middle of its upper portion and perforations leading from its interior to its exterior surface, which receives the liquid, and which, by a nut with which it is provided, secures an atomizing-disk to the top of the hollow pulley, which is seen in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is the plan, elevation, and section at the line a u of a tube which supports the journal upon which the atomizer revolves. Fig. 5 is the plan and elevation of a step which supports the journal above mentioned. Fig. 6 is the plan and elevation of a cap which is used to close the top of an oil-reservoir, which is in the piece which forms the support of the rotating parts of the apparatus.

Similar letters of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings, N represents a bar firmly connected to some part of the building in which the atomizer is used, and through which passes a hole, in which the spindle O is supported. The nut l", which works upon the spindle O, clamps the atomizer to the bar N.

E is a hollow tube, which communicates with the oil-reservoir L by means of a horizontal channel, M. The tube E, the reservoir L, and the spindle O are preferably made of metal, and the whole cast in a single piece. The top of the oil-reservoir L is closed by the cap K, with the exception of an -air-hole, U, which allows the atmospheric pressure to reach the surface of the oil in the reservoir.

Within a tube, E, is placed a tube, G, which supports the upper bearing, G', in which the journal C revolves, as well as a wick, F, which carries oil from the lower part of the tube E t0 the slits W' in the bearing G. The lower end of the tube G surrounds the step I, which is furnished with the shoulder x, upon which the tube G rests, and with the oil-passages k, T, and t, which allow the oil to reach the lower bearing of the journal C and the wick F. The journal C is supported by the step I and the upper bearing, G, and carries a collar, D, upon which is supported the hollow pulley B, upon which a band is intended to run, and which is provided with the flange `Z, upon which the atomizing-disk A rests. This atomizing-disk is supported upon the flange Z and an extension of the journal C, and is secured by the cap d, which is provided witha nut in its base, which screws upon the screw-thread J upon the extension of the journal C. The hollow pulley B is retained in its place by the locking bent screw H, which'inay be partially rotated to release the pulley B.

The atomizing disk or body A is made of felt or othersuitablcporous oribrous material, and is shown as consisting of a hollow cylindrical part, which surrounds the cap d, and a disk-like portion, which is between the cap d and the iange4 Z. The cylindrical portion of the atomizing-body A is shown as closely tit ting upon the exterior ci' the cap d, and it is rotated by the friction which exists between the said body Aand the cap d. The disk-like portion of the said body Ais rotated by the friction which exists between it and the cap d and the flange Z. The atomizing-body A is thus shown in order that two equivalent forms 45 v turns per minute,will verysatisfactorily atomof my invention for atomizing liquid which its inner surface to the atomizingbody A, and

also that these perforations lead to both the hollow cylindrical portion of the body A and through the bottom of the cap d to the disklike portion of the atomizing-body A.

The method of atomizing liquid with this apparatus is as follows: Liquid is supplied to the cap d through the hole f and thepipe c, the pipe c being furnished with the cock'b, by which the rate at which the liquid is supplied may be easily regulated. The atomizing-body A is now rapidly rotated by means of the pulley B, the journal C, the ange Z, and the cap d. The liquid in the cap d,passing through the perforations in its walls, comes in contact with the material of the atomizing-body A, and is immediately acted upon by centrifugalforce. It is also immediately exposed to the action of capillary attraction. The effect of the centrifugal forceis to force the liquid in.a radial direction to that portion of the atomizing-body A which is farthest from its axis of rot-ation. The effect of the capillary attraction I suppose to be to cause the liquid to spread itself in a thin lm over the surfaces of the individual particles of the body A. It thus happens that when the liquid reaches the circumference of the body A it is in a very finely divided state, and in this state it is immediately thrown oft' by centrifugal force into the surrounding air in a fine spray. The fineness of this spray apparently depends, among other things, upon the speed of rotation of the body A, its dimensions in a radial direction, and the rate. at

n which the water is supplied to the cap d. The

quicker the speed of rotation, the larger the atomizing-body A in a radial direction, and the slower the rateat which Water is supplied, the finer will be the spray produced. I havefound that a disk of felt three inches in diameterrevolving`at the rate of two thousand ize a Veryiconsiderable amount of Water in a minute.

Onaccount ofthe necessarily rapid rotation of this atomizer, I prefer that all of its parts which rotate should be symmetrically disposed about the axis of its supporting-j ournal, in order that too much power may not be required for its satisfactory operation on account of excessive friction, caused by unbalanced centrifugal force. On this account I prefer to make the cap d and the atomizing-body A circular, and to cause their axes to coincide with the axis/of rotation of the atomizer.

It is evident from the foregoing description that the liquid is satisfactorily atomized by both the hollow cylindrical and the disk-like portions of the body A, it being necessary only to insure that the liquid shall comein contact with the rotating body or disk A in such a manner that it shall be carried by centrifugal It will be noticed that the cap d is force in a radial direction through the substance of the said body. Y

These `atomizers are intended to be used in manufacturing-rooms where it is desirable t9 maintain a uni form condition ofthe atmosphere with respect to its humidity, and it is intended that they shall be placed in dierent parts of v the room, and lie-supplied with water through a system of pipes, and be driven at a high rate of speed from the shafting in the room.

I have chosen to drive the atomizing-disk by means similar to those which are employed to drive the spindles of spinning-machines, since such means are very well adapted for this purpose; but I am aware that other methods of driving are available, and do not limit myself to using a vertical `journal carrying a single atomiZing-disk, since a horizontal shaft will answer.- Severaldisks may be carried by a single shaft, whether this be vertical or horizontal; or the atomizing-body may be elon gated in the direction of its axis until it becomes a hollow cylinder supported upon a hollow shaft, when large quantities ofliquid are needed to be atomized in a single place.

I prefer to make all parts of this atornizer which may be exposed to the spray which is produced of a metal which will not be easily corroded by the moist air 'which surrounds it.

'It will be noticed that the cap dis made smaller in diameter at the point Where the liquid is introduced than it is where the liquid leaves it, or, in other words, the cap has a downwardly- ,flaring top. This construction is adopted in order that as soon as the liquid is introduced into the cap it will at once, by centrifugal force, be carried to they outlets of the cap d, and entirely prevented from being spilled in drops at the place where itl is. introduced.

When it is desirable to do so,the driving-shaft.

may pass through the hole f, and the pipe which supplies liquid'may be introduced outside the said shaft and inside the circumference of the hole j'. The cap d is also sometimes providedwith a disk, Z,Which prevents air from entering the atomizing-body A at this point. When this construction is adopted, the liquid which is fed into the cap dis forced through the first portions of the atomizing- IOO ICS

body A by atmospheric pressure as well as by.

What I here claim as new, and desire to se `cure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The atomizer which consists of a perforated cap having a flaring top that is provided With an inlet in its center, the porous atomizing-body A, a means of supporting and The cap d is not absolutely rotating the said cap and the said porous body in conjunction With each other, and a means of feeding a liquid into the said cap, substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.

2. The atomizer which consists of a perfoi-ated cap having a flaring top, an inlet in the middle of the said top, and a disk upon its exterior surface, the porous atomizing-body A, a means of supporting and rotating the said cap and the said porous body in conjunction with each other, and a means Aof feeding a liquid into the said inlet, substantially' as described, and for the purpose set forth.

3. The atomizer which consists of a perforated cap having a Haring top, an inlet in the middle of the said top, and a disk upon iis exterior surface, the porous atomizing-body A, a means of supporting and rotating the said cap and the said porous body in conjunction with each other, and an adjustable means of feeding a liquid into the said inlet, substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.

4. The porous atomiZing-body A, in combination With a means of supporting and rotating the same and a means of feedinga liquid to the said body, substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.

adjustable means of feeding water into the said inlet, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

6. The porous atomizing-body A, in combination With a means of supporting and rotating the same and an adjustable means of feeding a liquid to the said body, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

7. The atomizer which consists of a perforated cap having a flaring top and an inlet in the middle ofthe said top, a journal and a support for the saine, a pulley connected to the said journal, a means of feeding a liquid into the said cap, and a means ofatoinizing the said liquid, substantially as dcs'cribed, and for` the purpose specified.

CHARLES H. FISHER.

Witnesses:

XVM. H. ANDERSON, GEORGE A. N ELsoN. 

